Tim Blake Nelson is probably still best known for O Brother Where Art Thou?, but he’s always good value for money, giving great performances in everything from Minority Report and Incredible Hulk to Syriana and most recently Lincoln.

Now he’s booked two new roles, according to THR, signing up for James Franco’s biopic of Charles Bukowski as well as reuniting with Lincoln co-star Tommy Lee Jones for the actor’s directing venture, The Homesman.

The Franco written and directed Bukowski will look at the writer’s early life as a child and teen, and how that helped shaped him as an author. Nelson will play Charles’ father, Henry, a man who dealt with the stresses of his life by hitting his son, eventually driving Charles to defend himself.

Tommy Lee Jones’ The Homesman meanwhile is a 19th Century tale about an untrustworthy man and a spinster school teacher who team up to transport three woman who are through to be crazy across the Western plains. Nelson will be a man who covets one of the women and tries to steal her. Hilary Swank and Meryl Streep also star. The hope is to shoot the movie this spring.